BOOM! A crack of thunder rocked Oak Manor. In the top bunk, Robert felt as though the ceiling would cave in on him.
Maybe that’s why Josh sleeps in the bottom bunk, he thought.
Robert’s alarm buzzed, and he sighed. He hadn’t realized that he would have to get up even earlier for camp than he did for school. And the thunderstorm made it feel like the middle of the night.
He climbed down the ladder and quickly got in the shower. He figured that Oak Manor probably didn’t have much hot water, so he wanted to get in first. As it turned out, the cabin didn’t have any hot water. Robert shivered through the fastest shower of his life.
“Dream Machine! Destroyers!” Coach Amber shouted through her megaphone. “You have five minutes! I repeat, you have five minutes to meet in the tumbling room.”
Robert tucked his purple camp T-shirt into his shorts and headed down the hallway to meet up with the girls.
Maryam was already warming up on a mat, her long legs stretched out and her toes flexed. Robert sat down next to her. “Kiley still in bed?” he asked.
“Of course,” said Maryam. Kiley hated mornings even more than Robert did.
Josh, Ellie, and Madison were on the other end of the room, showing off their backbends and flips.
“Whoa, wait a minute,” said Coach Amber. She rushed into the room. “No tumbling without a coach present.” She set her clipboard down. “You of all campers should know that, especially after last night’s story.”
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, and the lights suddenly went out. It was completely black in the cabin. Robert couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face.
“Stop. Hold on,” said Coach Amber.
Robert heard squeaking across the floor, then saw a flash of light.
“AAAH!” screamed Maryam.
“What’s going on?” shouted a voice. Then there was a loud crash!
The lights came on, and the group could see Coach Amber holding her phone flashlight. Kiley was sprawled out on the floor.
Robert jumped up and rushed over to her. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” said Kiley. “I just tripped over the edge of the mat.”
“Or did you?” asked Madison.
“Are you sure it wasn’t Heather?” added Josh.
Ellie laughed. “Yeah, are you sure?”
“Wooooooooooo,” said Madison. She pretended to float around the room.
“Okay, that’s enough,” said Coach Amber.
The Destroyers snickered. Robert rolled his eyes.
“Let’s finish warming up, then we’ll head to breakfast and morning group practice in the gym,” said Coach Amber.
Just as the group was ready to leave, the thunderstorm ended and the sun came out. Maryam excused herself to use the restroom.
Coach Amber said, “We’ll wait for you, Maryam.”
“But we need to get to the gym early to get the best spots,” Madison whined.
“It’s okay,” said Robert. “Kiley and I will wait for her.”
After the Destroyers and Coach Amber left, Robert asked Kiley, “So, what do you think of our cabinmates?”
Kiley shrugged. “They’re kind of rude.”
Robert nodded. “I totally agree.” They laughed.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
“Help!” called Maryam.
Robert and Kiley rushed to the girls’ bathroom.
“What’s wrong, Maryam?” shouted Robert.
“Are you hurt?” asked Kiley.
“I’m locked in!” cried Maryam. She kept banging on the door.
Robert wiggled the doorknob. “I can’t open it from out here!” he said.
Kiley asked, “Can you kick it open?”
“I can’t kick it open!” said Maryam. In a small voice she added, “I already tried.”
“Do you know what happened?” asked Robert. “Did it jam up when you closed the door?”
“I don’t think so,” said Maryam. “I just shut the door and locked it, like usual. After I washed my hands I tried to turn the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge.”
Kiley said, “Maybe Heather the ghost locked you in.”
Maryam laughed, just a little.
Robert jiggled the knob again. “We’re going to have to go get Coach Amber,” he said.
“No!” called Maryam. “It’s too embarrassing. And I don’t want the Destroyers to know.”
“Don’t be embarrassed. You can’t help that you got locked in,” said Robert.
“I’m telling you, this is one of Heather’s pranks,” said Kiley.
“Could be, I guess.” Maryam sighed. “And now I’m hungry.”
“Me too,” said Kiley.
Robert looked at the doorknob again and noticed a keyhole.
“I just remembered,” he said. “One time my little brother got locked in the bathroom, and my mom was able to get him out by using a knife. She stuck the knife in the keyhole and turned it like a key.”
“Can’t hurt to try,” said Kiley.
Robert looked at his watch. “Breakfast is almost over. I’d better run to the mess hall and get a knife before it closes.”
“I’ll stay with you, Maryam,” said Kiley.
“No, go with Robert,” said Maryam. “While he’s getting the knife, you can get us something to eat.”
Robert nodded. “Now that’s good thinking,” he said.
“Just hurry!” called Maryam.
Robert and Kiley ran up the dirt path to the mess hall. They could see the Destroyers leaving to head up to the gym.
“Let’s try not to run into Coach Amber,” whispered Robert. Kiley nodded. “Meet back outside.”
They separated, and Robert went to the silverware rack and grabbed three knives, just to be safe. He looked around to make sure Coach Amber wasn’t behind him and tore out the front door.
Kiley was already outside, her arms full of bagels and oranges. “They wouldn’t let me take the scrambled eggs with just my hands,” she said.
“Gross,” said Robert. “I wouldn’t have eaten your hand eggs anyway.”
The two raced back to the cabin. Robert went straight to the girls’ bathroom, trying to remember exactly how his mom unlocked their bathroom. He stuck the tip of the knife in the key slot of the doorknob and turned it.
“Try opening it now,” he said.
Maryam wiggled the knob. “Still locked,” she said.
Robert tried it again, and this time he heard a CLICK.
The doorknob turned and Maryam stepped out. She hugged Robert. “I’ve never been so happy to see you!” she said.
“Same here,” he said, hugging her back. “But let’s hurry up and eat something so we’re not too late for morning practice.”
The three were sitting on Kiley’s bed, unpeeling oranges, when they heard a door open.
“Anyone in here?” a voice called.
“It’s Coach Amber!” Maryam whispered. “Robert, get under the bed in case she comes in. You’re not supposed to be in our room.”
Robert crawled under the bed, and the three were silent until they heard the cabin door shut.
It was weird that Maryam got locked in the bathroom.
But there definitely wasn’t a ghost in their cabin.
Right?